North Tampa Christian’s basketball team makes name for itself in fourth season
TAMPA, Fla. - Inside the gym at the North Tampa Christian Academy, you'll find the new kids on the block.
"I love it. I've been the underdog in my life and I love it," said North Tampa Christian's basketball head coach Zach Reynolds.
As the Titans head coach, Reynolds is coaching a team that is just in its fourth season in program history. It is a history, however, that is growing with each win the Titans collect.
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"Now, it's kind of crazy, because we were the guys that were chasing and now people are chasing us," said Reynolds. "Every game we play in, we're getting their best shots."
Winning 18 of their first 20 games of the season, North Tampa Christian Academy has shot up the state rankings in Class 2A. And with a roster made up of mostly underclassmen, many of the Titans have been with the team from the start.
"It was a bit of a challenge playing older kids, bigger kids, but we got into it," said sophomore guard Evan Kramer.
From tykes into Titans, the basketball players are making a name for their team and themselves. Currently, seven members of the team hold offers to play in Division I college basketball programs.
"We've had probably over 20 Division I coaches in our gym to look at these guys and recruit them," Reynolds said.
Leading that charge is Toni Bryant, a 6'10'' sophomore forward who leads the nation in rebounds per game.
"He's selfless and elite on the defensive end," said Reynolds.
Once a football player exclusively, Bryant put down the pigskin and picked up a basketball for the first time only three years ago, but has quickly developed into one of the top recruits in the class of 2026.
"It's definitely been an experience," said Bryant. "I never thought I'd be put in this position two years ago."
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And while Byrant and the Titans have been playing together for years, this is actually the team's first year playing in the Florida High School Athletic Association.
With the move to the FHSAA, the team's goals have grown.
"The goal has been to make it to states from the very beginning," said Bryant. "It's our first year being able to compete, so we're going to see how far we can go."
Just how far that is, however, still remains to be seen.